Accessory for infants&#39; diapers



Patented `lune 15, 1954 ACCESSORY FOR INFANTS DIAPERS Joseph D. Shaw,Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 21, 1953, Serial No. 356,470

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel accessory for infants diapers and isdirected to an extremely simplied device for visibly indicating acondition I" dampness of said diapers.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel indicator device forinfants diapers and particularly one that may be cheaply manufactured inquantity and produced as a single use, throw away item of merchandise.

Another object of the invention is to provide an indicator having theforegoing functions which has a novel and positive cooperation oi partsfor producing a visible signal indicating whether or not an infantsdiaper is in a condition to be changed.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingspecification taken in conjunction vwith the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my accessory in position with respect toan infants diaper.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the accessory.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. fi is a section like Fig. 3 showing the parts of the accessory inindicating position.

Fig. is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 6, i and 8 are sectional views similar to Fig. 3 each showing aslightly modied form of my invention.

The embodiment of my invention comprises an elongated base member I6preferably having a tubular form and constructed from a single strip ofcardboard, or the like4 As best shown in Fig. 5 two side portions ll andI2 of the cardboard strip are folded on each other around a centrallylocated, longitudinally extending curved portion it; the ends of thesides being secured together along their longitudinal extents by a lineof glue it.. It will therefore be understood that the tubular basemember is somewhat flexible in directions normal to the sides l I and l2so that it will bend to coliform to the general contour of an infantsbody, whilst it normally has considerable resistance to longitudinallydirected cornpressive forces.

With reference to Figs. 2-5 of the drawings a resilient member l5 suchas a rubber band is preferably disposed within the upper portion of thebase member and has its upper end secured to the pinched upper edgeportion 6 of the base member as by glue il, or the like. The lower endof the band I5 is fastened by glue or the like to the upper end of amoisture responsive, frangible means l5 which preferably takes the formof a strip of paper which is secured at its lower end to the pinchedlower end I6 of the base member by means of glue, or the like. Theaccessory is constructed in a way such that the rangible means I8normally holds the resilient member l5 under tension in a longitudinallystretched condition such that 'an indicator 20 formed in ther face ofthe rubber band is out of registry with a visible reference element 2|on the upper part of the base member which takes the form of an apertureextending through the upper end of the side Wall ll of the said basemember. A pair of opposed slots 22 may be formed through the side wallsof the base member near the bottom thereof to permit moisture to bereadily admitted through the base member from the exterior of the basemember to the frangible means it.

As best shown in Fig. 1 the lower major portion of my indicator islocated within the infants diaper 23 in the area subject to the greatestamount of moisture, whilst a very small upper part extends beyond thediaper and serves as the visible indicating portion of my device. Whenthe diaper dicator 26 thereon into registry with the aperture 2l. It iscontemplated that the indicator 2) be of a contrasting color withrespect to the exterior face of the side Il so that the presence of theindicator beneath the aperture 2| will provide a visible signalindicating that the infants diaper is wet and requires attention.

A modified form of my accessory is shown in Fig. 6 and comprises atubular base member 2i similar in construction to the base member It,said base member housing a longitudinally stretchable, resilient member25 such as a rubber band located within the base member and whichcarries an indicator 26 normally out of registry with a referenceaperture 21 formed through the base member when the longitudinallystretchable, resilient member is held in tension. The upper end of therubber band is glued at 28 to the pinched upper end of the base member.The band is held in tension by securing its lower end to the pinchedlower end 29 of the base member by means of a water soluble glue 30, orby an adhesive that is weakened by the presence of moisture. When theadhesive becomes moist it loses its tenacity and the lower end of thelongi- 3 tudinally stretchabie member 25 will be released by the forceof the band in tension thus permitting the band to contract and move theindicator 25 into registry with the reference aperture 2l to give avisible signal.

With reference to Fig. 7 the modified accessory shown therein is similarto the modification shown in Fig. 6 with the exception that the ends ofthe tensioned rubber .band 3l are permanently fixed to the pinched endsof a base member 32 with rivets 33, or the like. The accessory furtherdiffers from said Fig. 6 in that at least the lower portion of the basemember 32 is constructed from a frangible material which when moistenedloses its strength thereby permitting contraction of the longitudinallystretchable member to bring an indicator 3'4 on 'the band intosignalling registry with an aperture 35 formed in the base member.

With reference to Fig. 8 the base member 36 is again shown as a tubehaving the 4general structure of the base member I0. Resilient,longitudinally stretchable member 31 is positioned Within said basemember and is secured by glue to the pinched lower end 39 thereof. Theupper end of the resilient, longitudinally stretchable member is securedto an indicator element in the form of a strip of opaque material 4Uwhose upper end is normally interposed between a reference aperture 4|formed in the member and an aligned spot 42 positioned on the inner wallof the base member and of a color contrasting to the exterior color ofthe base member. Preferably the longitudinally stretchable membervcomprises a woven elastic band held in stretched condition by afrangible means in the form of a sheath 38 of normally hard, watersoluble, or water weakened material such as water glass, or the like.When moisture enters the base member through opposed slots 43 thereinthe frangi'ble sheath 38 on the longitudinally stretchable member 31will be dissolved or weakened thus permitting the Woven elastic band orindicator to contract, said contraction moving the upper end of thestrip 40 from in front of the spot 42 to permit said spot to be seenthrough the aperture 4| and give a signal.

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory for infants" diapers comprising an elongated base memberadapted to be worn 50 with its major portion located Within the diaperand a small part thereof extending visibly beyond the diaper, aresilient member held in longitudinally stretched condition on the basemember, a frangible means of low wet strength positioned adjacent theextremity of the major portion of the base and cooperating with the basemember to hold the resilient member in stretched condition, a xedreference element on the visible extended part .of the base member, andan indicator on the resilient member movable with respect to thereference element to give a visible signal when the contractile force inthe said resilient member has overcome the low wet strength Aof the saidfrangible means.

2. An .accessory for infants diapers as set forth in claim lcharacterized by the fact that the resilient Ernernber ii'sforeshortened and is xed to the extremity of the visible small part ofthe base member, and the frangible means is in the form of a stripsecured to the free end of the resilient member and to the extremity ofthe major portion of the base member.

3. An accessory for infants diapers as set forth .in claim 1characterized by the fact that the resilient member is fixed at one endto the extremity of the visible part of the base member and thefrangible means is a moisture weakened adhesive normally securing theopposed end of the resilient member to the extremity of the majorportion of the vbase member.

4. An accessory for infants diapers as set forth in claim 1characterized by the fact that the resilient member is secured 'at 'itsends to the extremities of the base member, and the frangible means ispart of the major portion of the base member that has a low Wet strengthand which is located near the extremity of the said major portion.

5. An accessory for infants diapers as set forth in claim 1characterized 'by the fact that the resilient member is fixed to theextremity of the major vportion 'of the base member, and the frangiblemeans is a sleeve of low Wet strength 'surrounding the resilient member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,156,880 Slomon May 2, 1939 2,591,037 Adam Apr. l, 1952

